Like it or loathe it the Institute of Personnel and Development is a big
part of your life. For the vast majority of the profession it provides the
training which enables you to earn a crust.
It should equip you with the right skills and knowledge to ensure you can
meet the challenge being laid before the profession by business and the public
sector. It should also battle to earn respect for the profession in the
corridors of power and the public arena.
There is no doubt that in many respects the present day institute, under the
directorship of Geoff Armstrong, has gone a long way to deliver on these
elements, the highlight being the achievement of chartered status for the
profession announced in February.
Historically this magazine has had a difficult relationship with the
institute, often finding it hard to elicit information about its activities.
Personnel Today has, over the past year, found itself the focus of IPD
members airing concerns, gripes and discontent about the institute.
These two things have raised our curiosity, so for over two months we have
been looking at the IPD’s activities in detail. Our team of writers and
reporters has put your concerns to the institute and Armstrong.
The common theme is that the institute needs to do more to get its message
across and needs to raise its game in the public arena. Personnel professionals
are called on to take the lead in their organisations and they need an
institute to show the way. Armstrong claims it is doing that, but discontent
still remains.
This is not the only area which generates debate. The institute’s aim of
being the one-stop-shop for all professionals directly involved in people management
in its broadest sense continues to raise questions about whether the IPD is
spreading itself too thinly.
Then there are issues around whether the institute is equipping members with
the business savvy they need.
In this issue, we have put these questions to the institute and have set out
its response. Now it is over to you. Is the institute serving you well? Let us
know what you think by email, fax and letter. There is one way to ensure the
IPD continues to meet your needs and that is to speak out publicly and keep the
debate going.
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